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Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal Infant temperament: Repercussions of Superstorm Sandy-related maternal stress

Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal

Buthmann J, Ham J, Davey K, Finik J, Dana K, Pehme P, Zhang W, Glover V, Nomura Y
2018
Child Psychiatry and Human Development. 50 (1): 150-162

This study recruited a prospective cohort of 380 pregnant women before, during, or after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 to examine the association between disaster-related pre- and post-natal maternal stress and offspring temperament at 6 months-old. Mothers prospectively reported stressful experiences during the storm and rated their child's temperament 6 months postpartum. Results indicated that length of time without phone or electricity and financial loss was associated with offspring negative affect, whereas financial loss and threat of death or injury was associated with emotion dysregulation. Furthermore, offspring born before the storm had greater negative affect and lower emotion regulation than those born after the storm. Given the probable increase in the occurrence of natural disasters due to climate change in recent years (McCarthy, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Climate change 2001: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability: contribution of Working Group II to the third assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2001), our results highlight the necessity of education and planning to help ameliorate any potential consequences on the developing infant.

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Resource Description

    Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster
    • Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster: Flood, Hurricane
    United States
    Developmental Impact, Mental Health and Well-Being
    • Developmental Impact, Mental Health and Well-Being: Birth Outcome
    • Developmental Impact, Mental Health and Well-Being: Mood Disorder, Other Mental Disorder, Specify
      • Mood Disorder, Other Mental Disorder, Specify: Postpartum Depression
      Other Mental Disorder, Specify
    Research Article
    Vulnerable Population
    • Vulnerable Population: Pregnant Women
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